Comfort Zones
by Agatha-Naomi
Summary: B/B Christmas fic. Sweets forces the duo to exapand there comfort zones. Parker, X-mas movies, gingerbread and Victoria's Secret shopping ensue. Fluffy to the point of insanity. Will be multi-chap.
1. Chapter 1

Comfort Zones

AN: Thanks to all my reviewers. Merry Christmas.

"_Comfort zones are most often expanded through discomfort." -Fortune cookie._

_As the session with Sweets dragged on, sighs escaped and feet tapped with impatience. Bodies shifted repeatedly into more comfortable positions only to showcase their discomfort._

"_What do you guys think?" Sweets interjected, having just finished off his train of thought. Twin pairs of eyes snapped up to him, as though just realizing that he had been speaking. Which was likely._

_Sweets fought the rather intense urge to roll his eyes and punch a wall. "About what I've been suggesting you try. What do you guys think?" Blank stares. "You are both clearly and frequently uncomfortable…"_

"_Which this chair does not help." Explained Booth._

"_I concur." Brennan added. Sweets continued as though he had not heard them, delighting in the twin forehead creases and frowns he evoked in the pair._

"_And since you two are often and frequently uncomfortable, I say we expand your comfort zones." He concluded._

"_How the hell are we supposed to do that?" Booth asserted while Dr. Brennan pondered silently._

"_Do things you wouldn't normally do. Here's the list." Sweets handed them the two sheets._

"_Wow! Look at the time. Let's grab a bite Bones!" Booth and Bones made a mad dash to the exit, leaving Sweets wandering why he didn't drink hard liquor._

_Later at the diner, Booth sat worshipping a decadent cheeseburger and she ate a salad, occasionally snatching one of his fries._

"_Trade and read?" Booth suggested, sliding his list forward. She slid hers and they snatched the offending lists._

"_Ladies first." He offered. She rolled her eyes, but thankfully didn't begin to lecture on the "sexism" of the statement._

"_On expanding Agent Booth's comfort zone." She said the last two words as though they were filthy,_

"_The following would be beneficial. 1. Wear less garments designed for self expression and asserting independence. I.e.; cocky belt buckle, flashy socks and ties, etc."_

"_Oh no way!" Exclaimed Booth rather loudly._

"_2. Carrying on a holiday tradition without religious conations. Ideas: Baking, crafting, Etc and lastly do an activity that threatens masculinity: examples: Visit a store with predominately feminine products or watch a 'chick flick'"_

"_I will kill him." Booth promised, " As for yours: 1. Encourage something positive that is not factual , like Santa or a fictional Christmas movie. 2. Spend time with someone not at your intelligence level and bond. 3. Buy a Christmas gift for someone you normally would not."_

"_I'll help you kill him." She offered._

"_Let's just get this damn thing over with. Let's get two bird with one stone. Meet me at seven tomorrow night."_

"_Seven."_

_AN: Read and review my friends._


	2. Chapter 2

Comfort Zones

AN: Thanks to my glorious reviewers. Note; For the story, the tree given to Brennan from Booth was artificial, thus reusable. I love a fresh one, but my older sister is asthmatic. Enjoy!

At seven the next night her doorbell rang on cue. The door was swung to reveal Booth and Parker with a half dozen grocery bags between them.

"This is 3 birds with one stone." He said, making his way into her kitchen, " Do something with someone not at your intelligence level and bond, meaning Park, Do a holiday activity without religious connotations and encourage something that is purely fictional." He began to unwrap the contents of the bag.

"And we are doing what?" She watched as bag upon bag of candy was set open her table.

"We are making a gingerbread house with Park and then we are watching a movie."He explained, setting a premaid gingerbread kit onto her counter.

"Dr. Bones!" Parker emerged giving her a rather excited hug. Booth watched in awe as little miss "I don't need kids" picked up his son and spun him.

"You don't have a tree!" Exclaimed Parker.

"I don't celebrate Christmas." She explained.

"But me and Daddy bought you a tree! Besides everyone loves Christmas." Parker perched on her lap, looking so aghast that she turned and said.

"It's in my closet on the top shelf. I doubt I have any ornaments." Booth went and soon they were assembling the plastic tree.

"You need ornaments." Parker announced. Booth laughed. Bones opened her mouth to explain why she didn't need ornaments but stopped.

Booth was proud of that puppy dog charm smile. He often gave in to that one.

"Okay. Where would I purchase ornaments?" She asked.

That's how the three found themselves in a Target that evening in the Christmas aisle. Booth had to reign in Parker, since he wanted to buy the whole store to put on Bone's tree. Bones started out frugal, but after she saw all the baubles, she needed to be restrained just like Parker.

With a bag of ornaments and a box of lights, they returned to her apartment. Booth glanced at his son with Bones. She helped him decide which ornament ought to go where. It took a bit for her to give up on obtaining symmetry and be random in her hanging like Parker, but they got there. He couldn't help but grin like an idiot. She looked like a little girl, all happily playful. He loved it more than he should.

"It looks great, doesn't it?" Booth remarked to himself. He didn't mean the tree, but rather it's unrelated decorators who looked like a family.

A bit later, after much muttered obscenities and a can of frosting a constructed ginger house sat on her kitchen island. Being ever the neat freak, Bones was wiping her counters. It was humorous to see Booth placing a neat row of Skittles onto the roof, only for them to be pried off and inserted into Parker's greedy mouth. It was not the most efficient progress. She loved how Booth was just about gushing at how cool Parker's side looked, all strewn with randomly placed candy, empty places where Parker had picked a snack. It was a messy job, but Booth made Parker beam with praise. Her kitchen was littered with gumdrops and flicks of confectionary , but there was something so beautiful in there anyways. And she doesn't mean the candy house.

"It doesn't make sense. Both the cold man and the Heat Miser have little facial markers with Mother Earth. They have no similarities with each other in stature or facial makers. They are not related."

"It's a Christmas movie. It's animated." Booth pointed out. Luckily, before pandemonium broke out, the youngest viewer shushed them and returned his eyes to the screen.

"Come on Park." Having finished the movie a while ago, Parker had fallen asleep on the couch, his cheek on Booth's thigh. Had she had a camera she would have photographed the image of the zonked out child being hoisted up by his father to carry out.

"I hope he had fun." She shrugged.

"He did. Guess a bit too much." He gestured at the dead weight in question, " I had a nice time too, for the record." He winked at her. It could have been the overcast glow of the tree, but he swore her cheeks reddened.

"I'm very glad. Tomorrow at noon?" He had forgotten that they did this for Sweet's little experiment.

He may just send the meddling shrink a Christmas card if he wanted them to spend time like this together.

"Noon." Without thinking, he pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek, before exiting her apartment.

Bones looked around at her now shockingly empty apartment. She noted the candy she had missed while cleaning her kitchen, the movie on top of her coffee table and the small but happy tree.

Allowing herself a carefree smile, she went to bed, her fingers at her still warm cheek.

AN: Cute huh? It may be so cute that I'll win a Nobel Prize… Or some reviews. Merry Christmas!


	3. Chapter 3

Comfort Zones

AN: Thanks to my fabulous reviewers. ;] For the record I own none of the following: Proactive, Victoria's Secret, Bones, or as mentioned before Target.

The mall on Christmas Eve was as close to hell on earth as one could get. Yet Booth was actually excited to go. He had loved being able to spend time with Bones. Seeing her with Parker, acting happy to be doing so, just did something for him. He hoped she didn't mind the cheek kiss. He's kissed other female friends like Angela or Cam. It didn't differ that greatly, right?

Okay he kissed her with other motives than to say goodnight. So what? She was still meeting him to do.. Whatever the hell was left on the list. He arrived at her apartment, knocking twice.

Even the most logical people have their crazy moments. That may explain that she had put on roughly six outfits. She hadn't done that since she was a 17, waiting for Andy Peterson to pick her up so they could sneak into a horror movie and make out in the back row.

Is that why she's so high strung? She's feeling like this was a date? Between the nearness of Christmas and the previous train of thought she was immediately brought to memories of Puckish Lawyers and what results when they blackmail.

Oh and she was thinking that it was nearly unnatural for a man to have lips so soft. Estrogen was responsible for making skin soft. Men did have estrogen. Like women had testosterone so the clitoris could enlarge during sexual…

She needs to think about something else. Anything else. Like hanging up an entire laundry load of costume changes back up. Her bell rang. Twice. That meant that Booth was here to pick her up. What she had on would have to do.

She was so grateful that she had showered already. She grabbed her list and swung open the door.

"It'll be hell at the mall, considering all those last minute shoppers" He walked to his car his hand on her lower back.

"Don't I get a good morning?" She pouted at him.

"Good morning." He winked at her, this time no tree lights to mask the light pink he evoked.

"We don't have much on the list left. I see you don't have on your buckles or socks, so that's one of yours." She allowed herself to glance at his frame as they perused the local mall: the tight black t-shirt with a band she didn't recognize and tight jeans. To quote Angela, he looked 'hot'.

Meanwhile Booth was picturing her pouting at him this morning , her face without any makeup and her slightly damp hair curling. He thanked every saint that he had neither buried his face in her hair and inhaled nor bitten that fat bottom lip. He really wanted to. But then again what else was new?

"I need to buy a gift for someone I wouldn't normally and you need to go into a store that threatens your sense of masculinity." She explained. He didn't seem to hear her. And for that matter his eyes were glazed.

"Booth!" She chastised. He flinched subtly.

"Sorry." He shrugged a bit guiltily.

"As I was saying I need to get a gift for someone I typically wouldn't. If it's acceptable to you, I was considering Parker." She stopped in her tracks.

He spun to her.

"Of course that's alright! He loves you." They stopped at the nearby kiosk facing another.

"I care about him. He's very easy to love." Her words ended in a tiny gasp as he hugged her almost too tight.

"You're just an angel, you know, Bones." He couldn't stop the words, nor the smelling of her hair. Did he really just say that? And is she really hugging him back as tight as he's hugging her?

They broke apart shyly. The rather pimply teenager at the close by kiosk began to ask them if they wanted to buy Proactive. The awkward moment was broken as they laughed at the irony.

At a video store, they had selected a video game that Parker was jonesing for and Bones was rather excited to observe his reaction. All that was left was going into a 'girly' store. Booth was secure with his masculinity and knew he'd be fine.

He just didn't think she would drag him into a Victoria's Secret. It was hard enough watching her pout at him that morning. It was torture enough to see her in tiny Wonder Woman costume and kiss her under mistletoe. He had to watch her pick out under wear. Booth was uncomfortable, not because of the feminine sale items. He very much felt like a man right now. That was the problem.

"I like this one." To his horror she shoved a green brazier in his face.

"Yeah. It's nice." Nice. It would set her hair on fire and make her skin all creamy white in contrast. Nice doesn't suffice. Unfortunately she only showed him everything and said : What do you think?"

He endured the red one that would make her look like she was out of a porno. He stomached the simple white. It was very touch and go for the ruffled little boy short number that instantly made him think of a Playboy Bunny. But when she shoved that ice blue set right at him? Those panties exactly one shade lighter than her eyes? He lost his composure.

"What do you think?" She eyes him curiously.

"That would look hot on you." Her eyes instantly widened.

"What?" She watched his ears turn several shades of pink as he made his escape from the store.

AN; Poor Booth! I just love torturing him! I know this is a Fluff fic, but I couldn't resist a good dash of perversion. *Giggles* Review Please? Tomorrow is X-Mas, {For the fic, I know it's today, but I couldn't write yesterday} Let me know what you think. Tomorrow will be last chap.


	4. Chapter 4

Comfort Zones

AN: Merry Christmas! It's today in the fic, yesterday in reality. That drives me insane personally, but I hope y'all don't mind. Final Chapter. Thanks to all my grand old' reviewers. The first part is still afternoon Christmas Eve Day. So confusing, I know. Just enjoy the fluff and perversion. That's what I do. Lol.

Booth sat on the bench outside the store collecting himself. As the lady rang up the purchases, Bones wished she would stop glorifying gift cards, so she could go talk to Booth

There was only so much evidence she could ignore. Like a million clues pointing to a suspect, there were so many blatant hints. Conclusion was that Booth had loved her for a while. That was all there was to it. Like particulates and murder weapons leaving marks, it was now so in her face that she had her answer.

Brainy smirf, Jasper the Pig, Guy hugs. Thai food almost every night. Saving each other repeatedly and long looks. The list went on and on like a case file. The mistletoe kiss. Spending time with him and Parker. Tiny black dresses in Vegas. It was undeniable. A smart girl like her knew what Angela meant. Knew why Booth hated all her boyfriends. Comprehended why seeing him with a woman hurt so bad. Got why neither of them had dated in a while.

He loved her. She loved him back. Both treading water, completely terrified of failure. No more. Booth was always going to be there. He needs to know that she's ready. The woman handed her her bags and receipt. She marched to him.

"Bones I'm sorry."

"Booth."

"I overstepped "

"Booth.'

"Lemme finish! I just.."

"Booth!"

"Dammit Bones! Let me get this out!"

"I love you Booth."

His reaction was priceless. His mouth fell open and his eyebrows shot up.

"Really?" He cursed himself for squeaking.

"Have I ever liked to say false facts?" She grabbed his warm hand. Again he was hugging her, almost desperately. It was near frantic. He was scared it wasn't real. She delighted in the warmth of him, the elevated heartbeat in her ear. His hands that could beat a runaway suspect to bits, gently supporting her weight.

"I love you, Bones." He met her eyes and kissed her. After all the tension and buildup this kiss was shockingly shy and soft. It was not to prove anything but mutual affection. They eventually broke and rested into another's frame contentedly.

For a few minutes they sat on the bench as moms with strollers, packs of teenagers and hordes of shoppers passed by. Whistles, catcalls, silence, nearby conversations and the like ignored as they gloried in finally belonging to each other.

Later the next morning she woke up, still dressed but lounging on something rather warm. It grunted whenever she stirred. Waking up snuggled on Booth's chest made even her love Christmas.

"Merry Christmas." He kissed her awake lazily. The moment was cut short by Parker bounding to the tree. As they got up watching the child rip packages upon like an excited savage, their hands enter twined. Sweet's experiment had helped them achieve bliss.

Not that they'd tell him that.

AN: Love it? Hate it? Lemme know!


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